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Cyëlteqim
The Cyëlteqim are a race of insectoids, and one of the only truly neutral races in intergalactic politics. Their territory lies adjacent to the Tanarim Empire, but in spite of the expansionist history of the latter, there has been little to no antagonism between the two. This is perhaps because the Tanarim realize the role the Cyëlteqim hold in intergalactic politics. Though they are now known to have existed at the time, Korun Taradon has noted that they were never discovered by the SETI project, which ran during the 20th to 22nd centuries A.D. He speculates that this is because they as a magical culture, completely bypassed radio communication, and as such never transmitted any signals for anyone to pick up. Mentally, the Cyëlteqim are able to connect compartments of their minds to eachother, through Curunir, making them the only known species capable of instantaneously transmitting information across interstellar distances. This ability has landed them in a role of inter-stellar messengers, couriers, and negotiators. Cyëlteqim communication is actually conducted on two levels, though most species are not aware of this. On one level, they communicate visual messages telepathically - their visual languages usually consist of a wide array of shapes and colours, arranged in various relationships. On another level, they communicate verbally, and this is what most people are familiar with. The verbal layer is incomplete, however, as it merely serves to accentuate the telepathic layer. Due to their hive-mind, internal violence is anathema to the Cyëlteqim, as is any idea of individualism. Though they do have some level of distinct personality, they consider themselves first and foremost a part of the swarm. For this reason, Exile is the most severe punishment they inflict upon members of their own species - a sentence which they themselves say go beyond Death. It is important to note that to the Cyëlteqim, the word "Exile" carries connotations which could never exist among humans - it means being severed, or cut off. What happens is simply that exiled Cyëlteqim are cut off from the race-wide mental network. Most usually die of despair or insanity within weeks. Though the Cyëlteqim are considered - and consider themselves, to belong to one species, they show much wider genetic variation than is evident among humans. Their social order could only be compared to a caste-system, with the Supreme Hivemind at the top - but "Caste" doesn't carry the negative connotations normally implied in a human context - to the Cyëlteqim, this is simply "the way things are", and it could never occur to them to question this natural order. The Hivemind is actually elected through consensus, members being circulated at regular intervals. Furthermore, their government is strictly technocrat, though again devoid of the negative connotations usually implied by the term. In this case it means simply that those chosen for a job, are those best suited to perform it. The Cyëlteqim are thought to originate somewhere in the Horsehead nebula, but members of their species are found all over Known Space. Furthermore, due to their natural affinity to Curunir, The Xeranur Corporation has been known to employ them as navigators. Category:Species